Keefe Announces Class of 2012

Oct 21, 2008

Oct. 21, 2008

NEW HAVEN, Conn. -
Robert J.H. Kiphuth Director of Swimming Frank Keefe welcomes ten new competitors to the Yale women's swimming and diving team. The new student-athletes include eight swimmers and two divers. They come from all over the country and bring a variety of experience which will contribute to the success of the Bulldog program.

Here is a closer look at the incoming freshman class:

Elizabeth Andrekovich joins the Bulldogs from Kinnelon High School. She is one of two divers in the class of 2012 and is from Kinnelon, N.J. Andrekovich was a National Interscholastic Swimming Coaches Association All-American, as well as an AAU All-American Diver, in 2005, 2006 and 2007.

"I chose Yale because it offers an unbelievable academic and athletic environment, where I can meet people with a variety of talents and stories," said Andrekovich. "It simply felt right."

Caroline Dewing comes to Yale from Mountain Lakes High School. She comes from Mountain Lakes, N.J., and swims the breaststroke and sprint freestyle. Dewing's high school was Public B State Champions in 2008 and she earned Female Swimmer of the Year honors for Morris County in 2007 as well as All-Area in 2008. She also made third-team All-State in 2007-08.

"I chose Yale for its residential college system, the wealth of opportunity, and the fascinating, diverse student body," said Dewing.

Emily Dominski comes to Yale from New Trier High School. She is from Winnetka, Ill., and swims freestyle. Dominski was a four-time All-American. She captained her team to second place at the state championships in 2007, and in 2005 and 2007 she was state champion in both the 50-yard and 100-yard freestyle events. This past year Dominski attended the U.S. Olympic trials, where she placed 111th in the 100-meter backstroke and 86th in the 50-meter freestyle.

"I chose Yale for the excellence in its undergraduate education and the sense of community and friendliness throughout the student body," said Dominski.

Hayes Hyde joins the Bulldogs from Woodside, Calif., where she swam for Saratoga High School. She will swim the butterfly and freestyle for Yale. She is a two-time scholastic All-American and competed at the Junior Nationals in the 100- and 200-meter butterfly, 100- and 200-meter freestyle and the 200-meter IM.

"I picked Yale because I really wanted a strong academic environment that also afforded me the opportunity to participate on a varsity team with such incredible people," said Hyde.

Erica Kao comes to Yale from Cincinnati, Ohio, where she swam for Sycamore High School. Kao swims freestyle and breaststroke. During her time at Sycamore, her team was State Championship Finalists and GMC Champions. Individually, Kao was GMC First Team All Conference, an All-American, Most Improved Swimmer, Sycamore Newcomer Award winner and Cincinnati Enquirer Honorable Mention.

"I picked Yale because I liked it the best when I visited -- it felt like home to me," said Kao. "I also wanted to balance my possible science-centered major with the arts and humanities, and I felt Yale was the best for that."

Athena Liao joins the Bulldogs from Urbana, Ill., where she swam for Urbana High School. Liao swims the breaststroke and butterfly. In 2005, Liao competed in the 200-meter breaststroke at senior and junior nationals, where she finished 36th and 11th, respectively. In 2006, she placed fourth at the state championships in the 100-yard fly and the in the 100-yard breaststroke. Her senior year she was Senior State Champion in the 200-meter breaststroke.

"I came on the recruit trip injured and it did not seem to bother the coaches," said Liao. "They said I would recover quickly, and I would be okay. The other colleges I was looking at weren't interested in me anymore once they found out. But Yale stuck with me to the end."

Abigail Nunn comes to Yale from Deep Run High School. She is a native of Richmond, Va., and swims the IM and distance freestyle. Her high school team placed second at Junior Nationals in the summer of 2008.

"I picked Yale because of its great balance between academic and athletic excellence," said Nunn.

Rachel Rosenberg joins the Bulldogs from Strongsville, Ohio, where she attended Strongsville High School. Rosenberg is one of two divers in the class of 2012. During her time at Strongsville, she was three-time conference champion, sectional champion and district champion, as well as three-time All-American and four-time All-Ohio. She was also the school's most outstanding athlete.

"I came to Yale because everybody here is excited about life and the swim team is a great bunch of kids that has so much fun," said Rosenberg. "Here we can compete in Division I athletics, while studying at the world's finest institution."

Christine Slomka comes to Yale from the American Heritage School of Boca/Delray. She is from Lantana, Fla., and swims the breaststroke and IM. She was an All-American in the 100-yard breaststroke in 2005, 2006 and 2007 and an All-American in the 200-yard individual medley in 2007.

"I came to Yale because of the people and the environment," said Slomka. "Everyone here just seemed more friendly and more relaxed than those at the other colleges I looked at."

Meaghan Watters comes to Yale from Dallas, Texas, where she swam for the Hockaday School. Watters swam the 100-yard breaststroke and 200-yard freestyle in high school, but intends to focus primarily on breaststroke in college. She was first-team All-SPC (four years) as well as All-Conference (four years).

"I choose Yale for its blend of academic challenges with a strong swimming program and also for the camaraderie that the residential college system inspires," said Watters.